the pod bay door

¦¦ Today was a busy day at work: I attended three meetings and worked a shift in public service. Somewhere in there I was able to fit in lunch. After my final meeting, I headed for a quick workout, and then to dinner at the home of my friend and colleague, Kathryn, who is an amazing chef: Nova Scotia haddock, asparagus, sapphron rice, delicious salad, apple cranberry crisp. This was, you see, a bribe to entice me to join her at the Edmonton International Film Festival gala screening of Marion Bridge, the first feature film by director Wiebke von Carolsfeld. The film stars one of my favorite actresses, BC native Molly Parker, whose films include The Center of the World, Sunshine, Men With Brooms, and one of my favorite films of 2002, Max. During the drive down, I mentioned that the gala screenings at the festival usually feature the director and an actor or two from the film, and I jokingly suggested that maybe Molly Parker would appear. When we arrived, I learned that in fact she was there! My smile grew very wide!

Marion Bridge film tells the story of three sisters in Cape Breton, who are facing their mother’s impending death and the need to exorcise some of their own inner demons and past secrets. Molly plays Agnes, who returns from Toronto to be with her sisters and mother, and decides to stay for an extended period of time. Agnes is dealing with past drug and alcohol addiction, and her return is met with her sisters’ scepticism. Rebecca Jenkins plays the oldest sister, Theresa, apparently divorced/separated from her ex-husband/partner, but who cannot leave her past life with him alone. The youngest sister, Louise, played by Stacy Smith, seems to be not much more than a bump on a log – endlessly watching her shows on television and otherwise doing much of nothing, trying to numb out the world.
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¦¦ It’s lunchtime here at the ol’ SciTech Library, and as I munch down my spinach salad, covered with cooked chicken breast, tomato, and shredded mild cheddar cheese, I discovered a story that makes me so proud to have been born and raised in Manitoba. A pizza delivery driver in Selkirk MB, also a single mother, stopped to help a gunshot victim, and was dismissed from her job shortly afterwards. In fact, her boss had driven by and saw her before she’d even left the scene. He stopped and told a policeman that she would be dismissed. The manager noted: “She wasn’t dismissed because she was at the shooting scene,” he said. “She was away from her job for no good reason” (my highlight).

The story is receiving North American press coverage. The Winnipeg Sun received dozens of e-mails denouncing the restaurants owners and calling for a boycott.

Now that’s compassion defined, dontcha think? I hope the residents in Selkirk rally around her, and stop buying pies from Frank’s Pizza. Maybe it needs a new slogan: Our Pies Are Delivered Hot, Unless You Get Shot. The story has been picked up internationally, and the manager, Jason Boyd, is getting skewered royally. Read some of the comments on Foodinc.ca. I encourage you to submit comments here as well.

¦¦ With all due respect to my many dear American friends, occasionally you shake your head in disbelief at what some of them do to get attention, especially in the name of so-called patriotism. Will the “average” American ever learn that there is sentient life outside the 48 contiguous, and, gosh darn it, that it matters too?

¦¦ Another pronouncement from the established media that blogging is now mainstream.

¦¦ Late night musical discovery: Secondsight, from North Carolina.

¦¦ It makes good sense that my friend and colleague Stephen Abram is a member of the Internet Librarian Hall of Fame. My question is: how does one qualify, and who makes decision to induct?

¦¦ It was great to see SNL pay tribute last Saturday to Fred Rogers. Horatio Sanz sat on stage near the end and sang a song in his honour. In the past, SNL skewered him mercilessly, the high water mark being the early 1980’s with Eddie Murphy, when he did Mr Robinson’s Neighborhood. National Lampoon was in on it as well, satirizing him on one of their first albums. Read a most heartfelt tribute to Rogers from PopMatters.

¦¦ Make your own online kaleidoscope! The Internet justs gets better every day.

¦¦ At Geoff’s suggestion, I’ve added Blogrolling to manage the weblog links in the right hand column. So far I’ve added the locals only. I am behind in learning more about CSS, RSS feeds, etc. In time…

¦¦ Curb Your Enthusiasm, already through its third season on HBO, finally made it to Canadian television a few weeks ago. It’s hilarious, and I’m hooked. Yes, we still cannot get HBO in Canada. Bloody CRTC, protecting me from that dangerous American culture, and helping Canadian broadcasters produce other stuff of no interest to me in general. My feeling: let the Canadians produce a zillion shows, but don’t deny me the right to watch HBO as well.

¦¦ It’s late…time for bed.

¦¦ Each day we look for meaning in what we do, in what happens to us. This weekend reminded me of how important and rewarding it is to have great friends, to laugh and be silly, to meet friends and just talk about whatever, to eat good food, and to care about those less fortunate. A close family member has been struggling for a year to find meaningful employment, and a favorite cousin, dealing with Krohn’s disease for years, had another major surgery this past week. I keep them close to my heart, and when I step back for a moment, can easily see how incredibly fortunate I am to be in Edmonton, with great friends and colleagues, a great job, clean air, food in my belly, and warmth in my home when the temperature hits -40C/F, like it did yesterday. No, I’m not going to suggest you hug someone you love, but please permit me this moment to wax eloquent about what’s important to me at this time. And if you do hug someone, more power to you! Thank you.

¦¦ We are looking forward to breaking through to the plus side temperatures by Friday, when the mercury is forecast to rise from -23C on Thursday to +13C on Friday. I’ll believe it when I feel it.
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¦¦ The Friday Five:

1. What was the last song you heard?
Don’t Dream It’s Over, but by Sixpence None The Richer (on the radio)

2. What were the last two movies you saw?
Minority Report, The Rookie

3. What were the last three things you purchased?
Rice Krispie square, French bread, Gala apples

4. What four things do you need to do this weekend?
Have friends over for an Outer Limits Pizza Party, jam with Peter, have dim sum at New Tan Tan, attend a Pilates class

5. Who are the last five people you talked to?
Geoff, someone in an elevator, Carlos Lange, someone else in Mech Eng, a grad student in mech eng.